Dispensing device



May 11 1926 DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Jan. 7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR C/areflce l Va/'er May 11 1926. 1,584,336

. C. L LKER Riley 11, 1926.

1,584Q3ti CLARENCE L. WALKER, OF ERIE, EEHIISYLVANIA.

DISPENSING DEVICE.

Application filed. January 7, 1926. serial No. 79,720.

This invention relates to dispensers and is particularly adapted for usein dispensing dry constituents of beverages, such for 6X- ample aspowdered malted mill; and the ob ject of the invention is to provide aneat. simple and attractive device for containing a considerablequantity of the powdered article and adapted to auton'iatically delivera predetermined amount thereof into a drinting glass or other receptaclewhen said receptacle is positioned in co-operative relation to thedispensing element thereof.

Devices for the dispensing of powders or pulverulent materials have beenheretofore suggested but in practically every instance they are eitheroperated by complicated niachinery and form a part of larger machines orare embodied in small devices which are operated by a crank hand wheelor simple coutrivance and entirely independent of the receptacle intowhich the powder is dispensed. Moreover, in the majority of the priordevices the dispensingoperation re sults fronrthe turning of acylindrical coutainer pivoted on a horizontal axis and hav-- ing onecurved side thereof cut away. The cylindrical container is rotated pasta source of supply during which passage the container is spaced tobecome charged and is subsequently discharged when the rotation of suchcontainer is continued to invert the same, over a receptacle positionedbeneath it. The disadvantage of such construction is manifestly due tothe fact that if the container is rotated at a high speed it will bemore fully charged than if it is rotated slowly and consequently thereis no uniformity in the quantity dispensed at different times.

Tn a device of this invention the parts thereof are so formed andco-ordinatec that the mere positioning of a tumbler or other receptaclein juxtaposition with the dispensing outlet of the device willauton'iatically cause the delivery of uniform quantities of thesubstance dispensed.

Moreover, as the powders or pulverulent materials with which the presentinvention is particularly adapted to deal are highly hygroscopic, thepresent invention provides means whereby the material held in reserve issealed against the entry of moisture or dampness and is at all timesmaintained in a dry and fresh state.

Features of the invention, other than those specified will be apparentfrom the heroinafter detailed description taken in'conjuno tion with theaccompanying drawings.

in the accompanying drawings, 1 have illustrated one practicalembodiment of the invention, but the construction shown is to beunderstood as illustrative only, and not as defining the limits of theinvention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the'machine of a device embodying thepresent invention, showing a portion of said device in central verticalsection.

Figure 2 is a frontelevation of the lower portion of the device shown inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1; and

Figures 4i and 5 are perspective details of certain elements ofconstruction employed.

lieiiu'ring to the drawings 1 designates the base of the dispenser whichbase may be formed of any material in sheet or casting, but, for thepurpose of illustration it is shown in the form of casting. The lowerportion of the base is shaped to rest upon a counter or shelf 2 andispreferably provided with rubber feet or buttons 3 which precludescratching or mar-ring of the counter or shelf and provides a firmsupport for the device. The flange is preferably provided on the base 1which fiange is adapted to rest against the front of the shelf orcounter to preclude the sliding of the devicerearwardly duringoperation. 7

The upper portion of the base is shaped to form a cylindrical seat 5 inthe base of which is provided a dispensing outlet 6, and inthe seat 5 isadapted to rest a rotary dispenser 7 which is shown in detail'in Figureat as a rotary barrel. The rotary barrel 7 is cylindricalin form andembodies a plurality of a pockets 8 arranged in radial sequence aboutthe dispenser which pockets are open at both the top and bottom andform, in effect, chambers each of which is adapted to contain thedesired amount ofmaterial to be dispensed at each operation of themachine. The rotary dispensing element 7 is provided at its center witha-hub 9 which hub is supported on a spindle 10 mounted for rotation inthe base of the seat 5. Upon the spindle l0 and projectinginto thehollow hub 9 is a collar 11 notched at 12 so that it may be keyed to thehub 9 for thepurpose of securing the rotary barrel 7 forrotation withthe spindle. The hub is provided on its interior with ribs 12 which fitinto the notches 12.

The spindle 10 extends downwardly and through the base of the seat 5 andhas rigidly attached thereto a locking ratchet 13 and a driving ratchetlet, and beneath the driving ratchet l t an operating arm 15 is looselymounted on the spindle 10. The lowermost end of the spindler isjournaled for rota-- tion in bracket 16 as clearly shown in Figures 1and 3.

WVith the locking ratchet 13 co-operates a pawl 17 pivoted on a screw 18and normally impelled by means of a spring 19 into engagement with thelocking ratchet 13. Through the co-operation of the pawl 17 and theratchet 13 the spindle is normally locked against rotation in aretrograde direction and is frictionally locked against slipping in aforward direction. Rotation in a forward direction is imparted to thespindle 10 through the operating ratchet l t by a pawl 20 mounted on theoperating arm 15 and normally held in engagement with the ratchet 1-1 byspring 21.

lVith this construction, it will appear that if the operating arm 15 asshown in.

Figure 3, is moved in a clockwise direction, it will serve to drive theoperating ratchet 14 and rotate the rotary barrel Y and if this arm isoscillated back and forth through successive operations, it will serveto impart a step-by-step rotation to the barrel 7 to bring the pockets 8thereof successively into registration with the dispensing outlet 6, andif these pockets are filled with the material to be dispensed apredetermined quantity of such material measured by the area of thepockets will be dispensed at each operation.

The material to be dispensed is held in reserve in a container 22 which,while it may be of any material, is preferably of glass, porcelain orthe like, and is mountet on the base in any suitable manner such as byseating it within the seat 5 in superimposed relation with the rotarybarrel 7. The connection between the container and the base 1 is,however, made of such construction that a tight joint will be producedso as to exclude moisture and damp" ness which will be apt todeteriorate the contents of the container and which container is adaptedto be charged through a removable cover 48 in any suitable manner, Withthe construct-ion organized as specified, it will appear that thecontents of the container will normally gravitate to the bottom thereofand, as the rotary barrel 7 with its open pockets 8 forms the bottom ofsuch container, said pockets will, so long as the container hassufficientmaterial therein, be filled by such material. The filledpockets are adapted, as hereinbefore de scribed, to be successivelybrought into juxtaposition with the discharge outlet 6 to dispense thematerial contained therein but it is essential to preclude the flow ofmaterial into a pocket during the time that its residual contents areflowing through the outlet 6. To this end, the lower portion of thecontainer is preferably provided with a battle plate 2ft so disposed asto preclude the flow or sifting of the material through such pockets asmay be in communication with the dispensing outlet, and if desired, thisbaffle plate may be formed integral with the container as shown.

In accordance with the present invention the operation of dispensingmaterial from the container 221s automatically accomplished by thepositioning of a tumbler in juxtaposition with the discharge outlet (5.To this end, a tumbler support is provided which tumbler supportembodies a platform 25 supported for pivotal movement on a pair ofhanger arms 26, the upper ends of which are pivotally mounted on a rod27 extending transversely of the base 1, best shown in Figures 1 and 2.One side of the base is further provided with a boss 28 having a tappedinner end to receive a screw 29 which forms the fulcrum of a lever 30.One arm of the lever 30 projects upwardly and terminates in a ballshaped end 31 which occupies the position within the slotted orbifurcated end of the operating arm 15 after the manner shown in Figure3. The other arm of the lever projects downwardly and its extremity isturned in to engage with the adjacent hanger arm 26. A spring is coiledabout the boss 28 with one end and with its other end engaging a boss 33on the base, hooked over one arm of the lever 30 and this spring has thedual function of normally forcing the tumbler support forwardly into theposition of Figure 1 and simultaneously retracting the operating arm 15into a position wherein it is ready to be moved in a clockwise directionto advance the rotary dispensing barrel to dispense a measured quantityof material.

If, with the parts in the position shown in Figure 1 a tumbler 3 1- ispositioned on the tumbler support as shown in Figure l and forcedrearwardly toward the back of the base 1 it will finally come to rest inthe dotted position shown in this figure, but during the interveningmovement the lever 30 will be oscillated, with the result that theoperating armlo will be actuated, to rotate the dispensing barrel 7 anddischarge the contents of one of the pockets 8 through the dischargeoutlet 6. This operation will take place as the glass or tumbler 31moved into vertical position beneath the dispensing outlet but, when thematerial is dispensed and the operator subsequently removes the tumblerfrom its support, the spring 32 will immediately act to return the partsto normal position wherein they will be ready for a sub sequentdispensing operation.

The device or" this invention is entirely automatic and, because of thedownward taper oi? the container and the upward taper oi the hub oi thedispensing barrel, will serve to dispense the entire contents oi theconta ithout ving any residue lodged on projecting parts in the path ofthe material to the dispensing outlet. The device is particularlyadapted for use at soda fountalus, drug stores and similar placesallthough, it may be used in other environments.

it will be understood that the specific invention described may bemodified in formal respect, such as by the substitution of equivalents,and that parts oi? the complete mechaism described may be used alone, orin other environments, without departing from the spirit or substance orthe broad invention, the scope of which is coi'i'nnensurate with theappended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim and now desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dispensing device for pulverulent materials embodying a containerfor such material, a rotary barrel positioned below the container andprovided with a plurality o't' radially disposed measuring pockets intowhich the material from the container gravites. a discharge passage, atumbler supportt'l erm, means for suspending the plati tor swinginmovement on a horizontal s positioned above the platter-m, means for-anally impelling the platform in a posi- 1 wherein it is out o'lialinement with the discharge passage, said platform being apted to beforced into alinement with the d charge passage by the act orpositioning a tumbler in alinement with said passage, and means operablewhen the platform is moved into alinement with the discharge passage,for rotating the barrel to bring the pockets thereot successively intocooperative relation with the discharge passage as tumblers aresuccessively brought into alinemcnt with said passage.

2. A dispensing device for pulverulent material embodying a containerfor such material, a rotary barrel positioned below the container andhaving a plurality oi radially disposed measuring pockets into which thematerial normally gravitates to iill the pooh ets, a discharge passage,and means for rotating the rotary barrel step by step to successivelybring the pockets thereoi into alinemeut with the discharge passage,said means comprising a tumbler support, and means for normallyimpelling the tumbler support into a position wherein said supportconstitutes an obstruction to the positioning of a tumbler in alinementwith the discharge passage, whereby the forcible positioning of atumbler in alinement with the discharge passage can only be ellt'ectedby retracting the tumbler support with consequent operation of therotary barrel to bring one of the charged pockets oi: the barrel alsointo alinement with the discharge passage.

3. A dispensing device for pulverulent material embodying a rotarydispenser provided with a hub, a container positioned above the rotarydispenser, the hub of the dispenser being tapered upwardly, and the wallof the container being tapered downwardly to preclude the lodging of thematerial in such manner as to prevent its complete dis pensation, adischarge passage, and means for successively operating the rotarydispenser to discharge measured quantities of mater'al therefrom, saidoperating means embodying a prime mover projecting into the path of atumbler and required to be moved by the tumbler before the tumbler canbe brought into alinement with the dis charge passage, whereby thebringing of the tumbler into alinement with the discharge passageetliects rotation oi? the rotary dispenser to discharge material throughthe. discharge passage into the tumbler.

i. A dispensing device "for pulverulent material embodying a containerfor such material, a rotary barrel positioned below the container andprovided with a plurality of radially disposed measuring pockets intowhich the material normally gravitates to till the pockets, a dischargepassage, a swinging bracket adapted to support a tumbler and guide itinto position beneath the discharge passage, pawl and ratchet meansassociated with the rotary barrel, a lever for operating the pawl andratchet means, and means for yield-ably forcing the lever into aposition wherein it serves as an obstruction against swinging of thebracket into a position to bring the tumbler supported thereon intoalinement with the discharge passage, whereby the forcing of the tumblerinto alinement with the discharge passage will effeet the operation ofthe pawl and ratchet means to rotate the barrel and dispense materialfrom one of the pockets into said tumbler.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

CLARENCE L. VALKER.

